


smoke signals

by Margot_Lescargot



Category: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch
Genre: Fluff, Humour, M/M, established Seagale, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23203324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Margot_Lescargot/pseuds/Margot_Lescargot
Summary: 'But, Alex, I really don't understand the problem.  I send photographs to your telephone all the time.''Trouble, you send me pictures of your favouritetrees.'----------------------On whether - no matter how many people have spoken to him on the subject - Nightingale really understands how mobile telephones function in modern society.
Relationships: Thomas Nightingale/Alexander Seawoll
Comments: 14
Kudos: 52
Collections: Burdens of Responsibility





	smoke signals

**Author's Note:**

> This fits into the general 'verse of the Burdens of Responsibility series elsewhere on the site.  
> The main scene takes place somewhere after Lies Sleeping.

From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Hey. Just got to hotel. Flight ok but got stuck next to some DPS idiot on the plane. Need to get ready for the meet and greet tonight. How are you?  
Ax

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Dear Alex  
Thank you for letting me know you arrived safely. All fine here, thank you. I’m having a quiet night at the Folly and your message finds me somewhat bored planning tomorrow’s Latin lesson, but I will keep at it a little longer. I hope you have a more agreeable evening.  
Yours, T x

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Bored, eh? That’s no good. Let’s see if this diverts you.  
Ax

/Alex Seawoll sent a photo/

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Dear Alex  
Thank you very much for the photograph. It is certainly… diverting. I may, perhaps, take a break from Livy for a short while to give it the attention it deserves.  
Yours, T x

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
You do that. Speak later.   
Ax  
  


***  
  


From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Hey. How are you getting on? Any joy?  
Ax

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Dear Alex  
Unfortunately not. I cannot help but think we have been sent on a wild goose chase, as we have been able to detect no Falcon-related activity of any sort. However, I suspect we will not be released for some hours yet, so I shan’t disturb you this evening. Are you free tomorrow by any chance?  
Yours, T x

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale   
Yep, tomorrow’s fine. Dinner?  
Ax

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Alex--  
Dinner tomorrow sounds excellent. All we managed this evening were some rather experimental sandwiches of Molly’s, which, in the circumstances, we were obliged to eat in the Jag. (In which, incidentally, I am still sheltering while awaiting the arrival of the local Inspector, although I am not wholly convinced it is any warmer inside than out.)  
Yours, T x

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Here you go, trouble. Maybe this will warm you up.  
Ax

/Alex Seawoll sent a photo/

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
:)

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Where did you learn about emoticons???

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Alex--  
Are you referring to the symbol formed out of punctuation marks? Abigail showed it to me. Why, was that not correct usage?  
Yours, T x

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Excellent usage. Well done. ;)  
Ax

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Alex--  
A winking one, is that? Very clever. That would have been more appropriate of course. In any event, thank you for the photograph. I shall study it in greater detail than I am currently able when I get home. And into bed.  
Yours, T x

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Good. Hope you’re not out too late. See you tomorrow.  
Ax

  
***

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Alright, trouble? What are you up to?  
Ax  
  


From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Hello Alex  
We’re just finishing up in the City. We had another session with Gale and his cronies, and it went rather well I think. I’m about to head back to the Folly, and then I’ll probably turn in. How about you? What are you up to this evening?  
Yours, T x

  
/Alex Seawoll sent a photo/  
  


From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
I’m on my way.

  
*** 

An hour or so later, Thomas lay across Alex’s bed, sweat pooling in his sternum, breathing heavily; Alex lay similarly spread-eagled and similarly breathless. Despite the open windows, the air both outside and within the room was still and unstirring, the only movement in the sultry August night the rapid rise and fall of their chests, the only part of them remaining in contact their entwined fingers.

‘It is _fucking_ hot,’ said Alex eventually, when their breathing had normalised somewhat.

‘It is,’ agreed Thomas, adding, after a pause, ‘Is that why you felt compelled to take off all your clothes?’

‘Ha,’ snorted Alex. ‘In part, yes.’ He sat up and looked down at himself. ‘I think I need to get in the shower again.’ He swung his legs off the bed and turned back towards Thomas. ‘And anyway, I didn’t hear you complaining.’

‘Nor did I,’ said Thomas with a lazy grin. ‘I enjoyed it very much, as I do everything of that nature which you send to me. How could I not?’ He raised himself onto his elbows. ‘And I agree about the necessity of a shower. Why don’t you go first and I’ll change the sheet.’

‘Ok. Cheers,’ said Alex, leaning over to kiss him before heading to the bathroom.

Showered, and cooled, if temporarily, Alex hunted around for his phone. He wasn’t expecting anything, and it hadn’t been on silent, but it didn’t hurt to check in. He found it finally, after remembering that he’d left it in the spare bedroom. 

There was a missed call from Thomas. He checked the time; not long after he’d sent his last text.

‘Did you mean to ring me earlier?’ he called through the open door of the bathroom.

‘What?’ shouted Thomas over the sound of running water.

‘I said, did you… oh never mind.’ He sat down on the edge of the bed. Not only was there a missed call, there was a voicemail. That was odd. He dialled the service, frowning slightly. The message played.

“Hello. Inspector Seawoll? It's Peter.. um, DC Grant calling. This is a message for Inspector Nightingale. If you, er, if you see him can you tell him that I’ve got his phone. I saw him drop it earlier, but he drove off and didn’t hear me. If you get this message, can you tell him that I’ll bring it with me to the Folly tomorrow. Thanks. Er, bye then.”

The sounds of water from the bathroom ceased and a few seconds later, Thomas appeared at the door of the bedroom. He was wet from the shower and rubbing a towel over his hair, which, when he removed it, was still damp and springing into curls. Tiny rivulets of water continued to run along the long hard lines and planes of his torso, chasing each other towards coppery hair and down his taut flanks. He rubbed them away with the towel and looked inquiringly at Alex.

‘What was that you were saying?’

Alex stared at him and held up his phone. ‘This… what? Jesus, Thomas, I can’t concentrate with you standing there like that.’

He looked down at himself, puzzled. ‘Like what? It’s not as if you haven’t seen me naked before.’

‘I know, but, it’s…’ He shook his head as if to clear it, as Thomas picked up a fresh towel and wrapped it around his waist before sitting on the bed next to Alex.

‘There. Is that better?’

Alex harrumphed. ‘Marginally.’

‘So, let us begin at the beginning. What is it you were trying to say when I was showering?’

‘Where’s your phone?’

‘Where’s my…? My phone? Well, it’s in the inside pocket of my jacket.’

‘No it’s not. Peter's got it.’

‘What?’

‘Peter's got it, because you dropped it in your rush to get here earlier. He picked it up and called me to let you know that he has it – in the extremely unlikely event you would have noticed it was missing – and that he’ll bring it with him to the Folly tomorrow.’

‘And Peter telephoned to tell you that…?’

‘Peter telephoned to tell me that.’

‘Well then,’ said Thomas, settling back to sit against the headboard and reaching for a glass of water. ‘Pat on the back for Peter and all’s well that ends well. What?’ he added, seeing Alex’s expression as he stood up. ‘Is there more to it?’

‘Why did Peter use your phone to call me? ’

‘Did he?’ Thomas shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Perhaps he thought you’d be more likely to pick up.’

‘Hmm. Maybe. Fair point,’ Alex began to pace. ‘But why did you let him have the passcode for it in the first place?’

‘My phone? I didn’t let him have the passcode for it.’

‘Then… what? So how did he manage to call me on it then?’

‘In the usual way I imagine. It doesn’t have a passcode on it, so far as I am aware. What is a passcode anyway?’

‘What? You mean… No, hold on. I think we're talking at cross-purposes here.’

‘I think we must be, because I’m afraid I fail to understand what you’re getting so agitated about.’

Alex held up a finger. ‘Bear with me. Right. So. When you take out your phone to use it.’

‘Yes. And switch it on.’

‘And switch it on. Right. And you’re prompted for a passcode to unlock it.’

‘Prompted? What do you mean? I switch it on and it comes on. And I use it. Really, what is it that I am missing Alex?’

Alex swayed slightly. ‘Do you mean your phone doesn’t have a lock? Of any sort? Or a passcode, a password even?’

‘I don’t believe so, no. Ought it to have?’

‘Holy fuck,’ said Alex quietly. And then, ‘So, in theory, anyone could pick up your phone and see what’s on it.’

‘In theory, yes,’ said Thomas. ‘But why on earth would anyone want to?’

Alex sat down heavily on the end of the bed and spoke as if he had not heard Thomas. ‘But you leave your phone out at the Folly all the time. I’ve seen it; you leave it with the keys to the Jag on the side table in the atrium.’

‘Well yes, of course. I don’t need it when I’m _in_ the Folly, and if I leave it on the table with the car keys then I remember to pick it up on my way out.’ Alex was silent and sat with his head bowed, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand. Thomas edged forwards to sit next to him again and put a hand on his shoulder. ‘What is it darling? What’s wrong?’

‘There are photographs. Of me. That I have sent to you. To your phone. Over many months.’

‘Well, yes there are, and very nice they are too, as I have always… oh.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Yes. I see what you’re getting at now.’

‘Oh good.’

‘You’re concerned that someone other than me might have seen those photographs you sent.’

Alex favoured him with a look.

‘Oh but come now. I’m sure no one who is in the Folly on a regular basis – and, really, there is no one else who would know about the table in the atrium – would so much as think of looking into my phone. I am absolutely sure Peter would not, on general principle, and as for the others, why would they want to? Molly, Foxglove, Abigail…..oh, er, Varvara.’

Alex put his head in his hands. 

*** 

From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Dear Alex  
Just a short message to let you know that I have recovered my telephone from Peter and have installed the requisite passcode to prevent any possible unauthorised access.  
Yours, T x  
  


From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Ok. Thanks for letting me know. Who helped you with the passcode?  
Ax  
  


From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Alex—  
Why do you think I required anyone’s help with the passcode?  
Yours, T x  
  


From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Was it Abigail?  
Ax  
  


From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Alex--  
It was Abigail.  
Yours, T x  
  


From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
And did you tell her the passcode?  
  


From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
No, I did not. I am not quite so remiss. Would you like to know what it is?  
Yours, T x  
  


From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
No! I would not. Do not tell anyone. That’s the whole point!

[…]  
  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Fine. Go on then, if you must.  
Ax  
  


From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Alex--  
Very well. Abigail said that it needed to be something that I would remember but that no one else would guess. So, it is: 899323.  
Yours, T x  
  


From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Am I supposed to know what that signifies?  
Ax

  
From: DCI TS Nightingale  
To: DCI AJ Seawoll  
Alex--  
Not necessarily. It is the alphanumeric equivalent of the postcode of Kew Gardens.  
Yours, T x

  
From: Alex Seawoll  
To: Thomas Nightingale  
Oh trouble, what am I going to do with you?  
Ax


End file.
